Bulgarian members

Full members

Short Description

LAST UPDATE MARCH 2018

ISTUR is a non-governmental research organisation at the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria. It was established on 10 April 1990 and is the successor of the Research Institute for Trade Union Issues founded in 1972. The institute is committed to provide research products of high quality tailored to the needs of social partners and the development of industrial relations in the country based on the best EU countries practice. Its aim is also to support the realisation of the values of the European social model in the country.

Since 1 March 2018 ISTUR employs 11 researchers, eight full-time and three part-time. There is also 2 free positions (one full time and one part-time). Three of fellows of the institute are senior researchers with a PhD degree in economics, six researchers with masters degree (two of them are preparing doctoral degrees) and two specialists, responsible for resource center, translation and organisational issues with bachelors degrees. The areas of qualification are economics, sociology, political science, geography. There are also a number of researchers, both working in other organisations or previous employees, retired from the ISTUR, who are available to be employed on contract base in some cases for research, data processing, translation and interpretation, for preparation and coordination of projects. ISTUR has a flexible organisational structure of programme working teams giving the possibility to realise the research programme and respond to ad hoc requirements of trade unions, other social partners, tripartite bodies, research institutions and other national and international organisations and institutions. ISTUR provides research, consultancy and training.

ISTUR receives a basic budget from CITUB (salaries and infrastructure), the rest of its financing comes from other projects. Since 2003 to 2014 ISTUR was a national correspondent of the EIRO, EWCO and ERM observatories at the European Foundation for the Improvement of Working and Living Conditions - Dublin in consortium with the Balkan Institute for Labour and Social policy. Since March 2018 the consortium will start again its’ work for Eurofound .

Areas of expertise and competencies

The research work of the institute is organised on the basis of annual programmes (approved by CITUB) including basic modules as follows:

1) Social and economic reforms and developments

2) Labour market and migration issues

3) Working conditions and workplace issues

4) Wage and salary formation and development

5) Living standard, social policy

6) Industrial relations, trade union practices and development

7) European social model and European policies, globalisation

8) Challenges of digitalization and other new technologies

9) History and development of trade unions and industrial relations

10) International projects in various areas

11) Consultations to the CITUB headquarters and its’ regional structures ,and to the sectoral federations and company trade unions

Statistical data base of main microeconomic indicators for economic, social and demographic development of Bulgaria, Annual Bulletin

Maintenance of data base for the consultations on the collective bargaining process

Trade union analysis and points of view on the European semester- long-term research. In 2018-2019 there is particular project on the same subject, of the OSE-Brussels with partnership of other organisations from the EU member states. ISTUR as a partner from Bulgaria(started in January 2018)

2. Labour market, migration, working conditions and work-place issues

Bulgarian labour market and early warning – quarterly reports

Migration processes and innovation policies of employment at the background of an integrated European labour market

Non-formal economy and the rights of workers in Bulgaria

Digitalization of the world of work-impact on the key sectors in Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Austria. Project with OGB, L&R Social Research, Vienna, supported by “Danube Work”-2018-2019(started in January 2018)

3.. Industrial relations

European surveys on industrial relations-conclusions for Bulgaria

MNC-s in Bulgaria- shareholders changes, supply chain: influence on the labour and industrial relations. Long term research. In 2019 a special survey of particular companies ( economic indicators, human resources and labour relations, trade unions and industrial relations etc.) is envisaged.

Participation in the project of the CITUB , BIA and CEIBG “Decent work and global supply chain”- 2016 -2019

Participation in WP Europe network of the ETUI, preparation of papers and collecting information for Bulgaria. Since 2008-present

OPEN EWC-project of the FILCAMS-CGIL, Rome, Italy, with partners from Italy, Spain, France, Hungary, Bulgaria (ISTUR)-2015-2017 ( finished in December 2017)

Future of work. Long –term research, including preparation of brief information and analytical report of the main trends of the changes in the world of work (technical and technological innovations, new business models and new forms of employment, flexibility of employment, organisation innovations, flexibility of working time, work-places, job functions, wages, benefits , new forms of industrial relations and challenges to the trade unions. Since 2016-present.

Smart production in the manufacturing and work organisation: new scenarios for industrial relations-project of the IRES Morocini-Turin, Italy, with partners from Italy, Spain, Portugal, UK, Poland , Bulgaria (ISTUR)-2016-2018 (finished in February 2018)

Participation in the project of CITUB , BIA and partners from the EU member states “Direct” (The Development of direct employee participation and its impact on the industrial relations at the company level)-2016-2018

National correspondent of the EUROFOUND(with BILSP)- since 2018

4. European social model and the alternatives for Bulgaria

E-Bulletin ‘Social Europe'

“Living wage”- research on the experience of the other European countries and evaluation of its implementation for the purposes of the collective bargaining in Bulgaria

The future of Europe and the challenges for labour market, social policy, industrial relations. The integration of Western Balkans. New challenges of the migration.: how to prevent trafficking and non-formal employment.

6. Development of the trade union movement

Development of the independent trade unionism and industrial relations – the challenges of transition

CITUB - events, facts, chronology.

Issues of restructuring of the trade unions in Bulgaria.

7.Others :

Monthly review: Political analysis for Bulgaria and the challenges of European and international political process.. Analysis of the economical situation, social policies implementation and the activity of the civil society and trade unions.

National correspondent of the Eurofound –Dublin –since March 2018(with BILSP-Sofia)

The Role of the Trade Unions and Social Partners in the European Semester-project of the budget line of the EC, main partner –OSE-Brussels-January 2018-December 2019

The digitalization of work: the impact on the key sectors in Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Austria. Project of OGB, Austria, L&R Sozialforschung , Vienna, with the support of the “Danube & Work”. January 2018-December 2019

The Development of the direct employee participation and its’ impact on the industrial relations at company level. Project of the CITUB, with partners from 6 EU member states, with the support of the budget line of the EC. January 2017-December-2018.

Decent work and the MNC-supply chain . Project of the CITUB, BIA and CEIBG, with the support of Operational program “Human resource development” 2014-2012, Bulgaria, European social fund. August 2016-May 2019.

Dress Code for the MNC-s in Europe: challenges for the local and global industrial relations. Project of the FILCAMS –CGIL, WETCO (Colleague of workers education ) and participation of partners from EU member states, budget line of the EC. September 2016-September 2018.

Challenges to the workers participation in the changing MNC-s: mechanisms for social partners and other actors at the company level. Project of the FILCAMS-CGIL, WETCO and partners from other EU members states. Budget line of the EC. November 2016-November 2018.

Recent ( finished) European/international projects

Smart production and work organisation in the manufacturing : new scenarios for industrial relation. Project of the IRES Morocini, Turin, Italy and partners from Bulgaria, Poland, Spain, Portugal,Budget line of the EC. Finished on 20 February 2018.

OPEN EWC- project of the FILCAMS-CGIL, Rome, Italy and partners from Bulgaria, Hungary France, Spain. Budget line of the EC. Finished on 10 December 2017.

Publications, language, newsletter

Regular publications in the area of reforms, industrial relations & European integration: Social Europe, Quarterly bulletin, since 1998 (in Bulgarian); Living Standards, Quarterly bulletin since 1990 - 2007, and renewed in 2010 under the title ‘Living standards and working conditions (in Bulgarian and in English); Quarterly press conferences and press releases on the results of living standards surveys – more information here ; regular publications in the monthly edition of the magazine “Sinditrud” of the Confederation of the Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (in Bulgarian); in briefs, comparative studies, thematic features and annual updates for the European Foundation - Dublin;

10. Ribarova, E. (2008), The workforce involvement in the labour market in Bulgaria: which is the way after the accession to the EU? In: Bulletin of Comparative Labour Relations, ed. by R. Blanpain, M. Tiraboschi. Kluwer International, Netherlands

11. Ivanova, V., Y. Simeonova et al. (2008), Cost and benefits of work-life balancing in Europe. What are the challenges for the social partners (In the framework of the project BILANCIA implemented with the financial support of DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal opportunities), CITUB, BFW, UGT-Extramadura, Alfa cartel, Solidarnosc, MSZOSZ, Cisl-Piemonte

14. Tomev L. (2009), The legacy of transition – the possible start of the chock therapy. In: Economic activity in Bulgaria and its social dimensions in the first decade of the millennium. From economic revival to economic crisis. Analytical overview, S., CITUB, Labour Institute of GSNEE - Greece (in Bulgarian)

16. Ribarova, E. E.(2010) The institutional context of workers’ participation in Bulgaria-which way after joining the EU.- In: The Ambivalent Character of Participation. New tendencies of worker participation in Europe. Ed.by Fr.Garibarldo and F.Telljohann. PЕTER LANG. Germany.

17. Ribarova E. (2010) Main trends of integration of the young people into the labour market in Bulgaria. In: Productivity, Investment in Human Capital and Challenges to the Youth Employment. Seventh International Conference in memory of Professor Marco Bag, Modena, Italy, 19-21 March 2009 In: Bulletin of Labour Relations, Ed. by R. Blanpain, Kluwer Law International, Netherlands

18. Ribarova E. (2010) The transformations in labour and implementation of traditional and new forms of social dialogue and interests’ representation in Bulgaria. In: The Transformations in Labour-Social Security and Social Dialogue, UNWE, Sofia, 2009 (in Bulgarian and English)

27. Ribarova E. (2012) The social power of trade unions in the new market economies: why is it in decline? In: SEER, Journal for Labour and Social affaires in Eastern Europe, Quarterly of the ETUI, N3, 2012, pp. 295-303

28..Ribarova E. (2013) Trans-national Dimensions of the Capital and Labour: Changes in the Workers Representation. –In :Addressing Quality of Work in Europe. International Conference, 17-18 October 2012 . Sofia

29.Ribarova E.(2013) Industrial Relations Transformations in the Framework of the EU-standards: The Case of Bulgaria. In: South-East Europe Review for Labour and Social Affaires. ETUI. N 1, 2013

43 Ribarova E.(2015), The university education, the labour market dynamic and the changing needs of society. In: papers form the Conference for the 20 th Anniversary of the Department of Macroeconomics. Research publications of the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences Paisiy Hilendarski University of Plovdiv ( in Bulgarian)

Other networks the institute is participating in

ISTUR has its own information and field network in all 28 districts of the country. It maintains a network of contacts with relevant research institutions, state administration and NGOs. The institute works with departments and affiliated member-federations, territorial bodies of CITUB and CL Podcrepa as well as representative employers’ organisations. Fellows of ISTUR are members of different national and regional tripartite social dialogue bodies.

ISTUR has been a national correspondent of the EIRO, EWCO and ERM observatories of the European Foundation for Improving Living and Working Conditions, Dublin in 2003- 2014. Since 2018 the ISTUR in consortium with Balkan Institute for Labour and Social Policy will start again its work as national correspondent of the Eurofound.

Since 2017 ISTUR is presented by its’ fellow in the general assembly of the OSE.-Brussels.

Through these partnerships ISTUR represents an original bridge between the social partners as well as the national and the international research community.

Short Description

ISETUR has been established in 1995 as a NGO under the Bulgarian Law for Non-profit Legal Entities. It is an unit within the framework of PODKREPA Confederation of Labour (CL). ISETUR's main goal is to create a bridge between PODKREPA CL's needs for expertise and consultancy as a trade union, and scientific research of the socio-economic processes in Bulgaria.

The Institute works on request from the Confederation (studies, statements, pubications) and on project basis and predominantly with temporal experts.

Areas of expertise and competencies

The Institute's main objectives in its capacity of Confederation unit consist of research, analysis and projects’ implementation in economic and social policy, employment policy, industrial relations, labour market tendencies etc.

The ISETUR experts are taking part both in the implementation of the Confederation’ tasks and various events (conferences, workshops, taskforces), projects etc.

Work programme, strategic plan, projects

ISETUR has implemented the following important projects as from1995 onwards:

Collective Bargaining in Bulgaria, ILO Project (1995-1996);
Informal Employment and Self-Employment, Institute for Market Economy project (1996);
Bulgarian Labour Market, Institute of Economics at the Bulgarian Academy of Science project (1997);
Monitoring and evaluation of the EU Programme 'Urgent Social Assistance for Bulgaria' (1997);
Social evaluation of Pernik region, World Bank Social Development Fund Project (1998);
Alternative Employment Plan in the Mono-industrial Coal Mining region -Tvurdisa municipality, project with CFDT - France (1998-1999); Implementation of European standards in facilitating Social Dialogue, PHARE ACCESS Programme (2002);
Anti-corruption practices in Tax Administration System, EU Programme 'European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights' (2003); 'Worker representation in companies in candidate countries: a portentous debate for the future of European Works Councils', ETUC project, 2002;
'European Trade Unions and CSR', ETUC project (2004),
'For a better participation of Bulgarian workers in the organs of information and consultation', EU project.
Project “Workforce and employment – recent tendencies” in the frame of ARTEMIS Program in partnership with Trade Unions of North Greece;
Project on “Training of assistants to provide services to people with disabilities and old people” – partnership with Sofia State University, Municipality of Saarbrucken (Germany), University of Montpellier (France);
Conference “Workforce migration and people trafficking” – in partnership with CITUB and NGO “Animus”- held in Sofia;Confederation’s project “Support for decent work” in the framework of ESF\BG Operational Program “Human Resources Development”(2010 – 2013): Research on: “Workforce mobility in the EU framework – impact on the adaptability”.

Publications, language, newsletter

So far ISETUR has issued the following publications (in partnership with Friedrich- Ebert-Stiftung):

Individual work disputes and work courts: the European experience and practic (Sofia, 2006)

Regulation of labour remuneration: the experience of the EU countries and Bulgaria (Sofia, 2006)

Wages in the EU countries and in Bulgaria (Sofia, 2005)

The right to strike in the public services' sector (Sofia, 2004)

Trade unions and immigrant workers (FES, Sofia, 2009)

Trade Union strategies to tackle the economic crisis. The role of social protection. – 2009;

Trade union position after the Copenhagen summit on global warming. Trade with greenhouse gases – 2010.